In known installations, for example energy generating installations, a process control system (PCS) is used for controlling and monitoring the conversion of fossil fuel into energy, in particular electric power and/or heat. This PCS provides information on the current state of individual components of the installation and the conversion process taking place. However, for the operator of the installation, the conversion process in itself is, from a commercial viewpoint, only an intermediate step toward the final product, for example electrical energy. It is disadvantageous in particular to a known PCS that only installation-specific warnings are output, for example when certain limit values for temperature or pressure are exceeded. No warning is given to avoid unnecessary costs. Rather, certain parameters which are to be maintained during operation are predetermined during the design of the installation. It is not possible for any actual direct check to be kept on costs when the installation is running.